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Bahama
Parrot (Amazona leucocephala bahamensis)
Photo courtesy of The Nature Conservancy - Bahamas
Office
Description
The Bahama Parrot is a subspecies of the Cuban Amazon parrot. The
Bahama Parrot’s scientific name literally means, "white
headed Amazon parrot from The Bahamas.” Its white head and
mostly green body make the Bahama parrot easily recognized. It has
patches of red feathers on its cheek, throat and sometimes its abdomen;
its flight feathers, usually hidden from sight when it is perched
in a tree, are a beautiful cobalt blue. Viewers are often struck
by this unexpected flash of color. The Bahama parrot’s short,
rounded bill is characteristic of all true parrots. The bill is
a powerful multi-purpose tool used for eating, climbing, defending,
preening (grooming) and playing. The Bahama parrot has two toes
facing forwards and two facing backwards - a configuration known
as zygodactylism. The Bahama parrot is 12-13 inches in length.
Diet
The Bahama Parrot eats a variety of fruits. They feed on wild guava,
poisonwood berries, pigeon berry, and the fruit from gumbo-limbo
and pond-top palm. Especially during the breeding season, Bahama
parrots in Abaco eat the seed from the Pine trees. This provides
a rich source of protein, essential for the development of Bahama
parrot chicks.
Reproduction
Pair formation begins in early spring. Bahama Parrots are monogamous
- they mate for life. In Inagua, the Bahama parrot seeks out cavities
in large, hollow trees. The Inagua parrots use our national tree,
Lignum vitae, the Mahogany and Black Mangrove trees for nesting.
Abaco parrots look for limestone cavities on the ground of the pine
forest to nest in. The female parrot lays two to four eggs. For
26 days she incubates them while her mate assumes responsibility
for food. The eggs open 12 -72 hours apart. Parrot chicks hatch
helpless, blind and almost completely featherless. By three weeks
their eyes open. The chicks are fed regurgitated (predigested) food.
Habitat
Historically, the Bahama Parrot occurred on several different Bahamian
islands. Today, they are found only on Abaco and Great Inagua Islands.
On Inagua the parrots live in the coppice areas and Abaco parrots
five in the Pine forest.
Current Status
There are less than 3,000 Bahama parrots remaining in The Bahamas.
These birds are protected under the Wild Bird (Protection) Act.
It is illegal to harm or capture or offer these birds for sale.
The Convention for the International Trade of Endangered Species
(CITES) list the Bahama parrot in Appendix I meaning that it is
a species that is near extinction or very endangered.
Threats
A number of factors influence the survival of the Bahama parrot.
The ground-nesting nature of the Bahama parrot in Abaco makes the
population of these birds vulnerable to predation by feral (wild)
cats, wild boars, crabs and snakes. Heavy rains during the nesting
period can flood parrot nest holes, killing young chicks. Habitat
loss is a constant threat to both populations of birds, hence habitat
protection is very important to the survival of the Bahama parrot.
The pet trade is another threat that is ever-present.
The Bahama Parrot is listed as a CITES
Appendix I - Protected Species and is protected within The Bahamas
under the Wild Birds Protection Act and its subsidiary regulations.
More information on the Bahama Parrot is available at Adastra
Gardens Zoo and Conservation Centre
Collection
of Species of the Month 2005
June: The Hawksbill
Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
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